Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris (S1) FAKULTAS KEGURUAN DAN ILMU PENDIDIKAN UNIVERSITAS SLAMET RIYADI SURAKARTA 2012
SILABUS Nama Universitas Fakultas Mata Pelajaran Genre Kelas/Semester Pertemuan Alokasi Waktu No. 1. STANDAR KOMPETENSI Memahami makna teks tulis essei berbentuk report dan descriptive dalam konteks kehidupan sehari-hari. : UNISRI : FKIP Bahasa Inggris : Reading I : Report and descriptive text : 01 dan 03/I : 1 s/d 12 : 12 x 100 menit ASPEK 1. Menemukan main idea 2. Menemukan informasi rinci 3. Menarik kesimpulan 4. Mengidentifikasi explicit and implicit meaning 5. Menemukan tujuan penulis menulis teks 6. Mengidentifikasi apakah kalimat termasuk pendapat atau fakta 7. Menemukan referensi dalam teks 8. Mengidentifikasi arti kata tertentu yang terdapat dalam teks 9. Menemukan sinonim dan antonim dari kata. INDIKATOR 1. Siswa mampu menemukan main idea 2. Siswa mampu menemukan informasi rinci 3. Siswa mampu menarik kesimpulan dari teks 4. Siswa mampu mengidentifikasi explicit and implicit meaning 5. Siswa mampu menemukan tujuan penulis menulis teks 6. Siswa mampu mengidentifikasi apakah kalimat termasuk pendapat atau fakta. 7. Siswa mampu menemukan referensi dalam teks. 8. Siswa mampu mengidentifikasi arti kata tertentu yang terdapat dalam teks. 9. Siswa mampu menemukan sinonim dan antonim dari kata tertentu yang terdapat dalam teks..
KOMPETENSI DASAR Memahami makna dan langkah-langkah retorika dengan bahasa tulis yang lancar, akurat, dan berterima dalam essay yang berbentuk report dan descriptive.
CHAPTER I
A. Reading a Text (Report Text) TELEVISION Television, or TV, is one of humanity's most important means of communication. It brings pictures and sounds from around the world into millions of homes. People with a television set can sit in their house and watch the president makes a speech or visits a foreign country. They can see a war being fought, and they can watch government leaders try to bring about peace. Through television, viewers at home can see and learn about people, places, and things in an away land. Television even takes viewers out of this world as the astronauts explore outer space. In addition to all these things, television brings its viewers a steady stream of programmes that are designed to entertain. In fact, TV provides many more entertainment programmes than any other kind of information media. The programmes include action-packed dramas, light comedies, soap operas, sports events, cartoons, quizzes, variety shows and motion pictures More than 83 million homes in the United States - or 98% of all the country's homes have at least one television set. On the average, a television set is in use in each home for about 6 3/4 hours each day. As a result, television has an important influence on how people spend their time, as well as on what they see and learn. After they arrive from work, they usually watch TV. Then, the importance of television is proven. (Taken from The New Book of Knowledge in http://report-text.blogspot.com/) Exercise 1 1. What is the text about? 2. Identify the generic structure of the passage above? 3. What is the language features stated in the passage above? Mention it! 4. How many supporting details of each paragraph? Mention it! 5. What are the benefits of watching TV that are not stated yet in the passage above? 6. What are the weaknesses of watching TV in the passage above? 7. television brings its viewers The word viewer in the third paragraph has closest meaning with the word. (the answer is stated in the passage above). 8. programmes that are designed to entertain. The word entertain in paragraph 2 means. 9. After they arrive from work The word they in the last paragraph refers to. 10. Find the definition and synonym, and make a sentence the underlined words above! (Use oxford dictionary or English-English dictionary) B. Notion, Generic Structure, and Language Features of Report Text Report Text Definition of Report Report is a text which presents information about something, as it is. It is as a result of systematic observation and analysis Generic Structure of Report 1. General classification: Stating classification of general aspect of thing; animal, public place,
plant, etc which will be discussed in general 2. Description: Describing the thing which will be discussed in detail; part per part , customs or deed for living creature and usage for materials Language Feature of Report Introducing group or general aspect Using conditional logical connection; when, so, etc Using simple present tense
Source: http://www.reporttext.blogspot.com/
MONDAY, 15 JUNE 2009
C. Identifying Topics, Main Ideas, and Supporting Details Understanding the topic, the gist, or the larger conceptual framework of a textbook chapter, an article, a paragraph, a sentence or a passage is a sophisticated reading task. Being able to draw conclusions, evaluate, and critically interpret articles or chapters is important for overall comprehension in college reading. Textbook chapters, articles, paragraphs, sentences, or passages all have topics and main ideas. The topic is the broad, general theme or message. It is what some call the subject. The main idea is the "key concept" being expressed. Details, major and minor, support the main idea by telling how, what, when, where, why, how much, or how many. Locating the topic, main idea, and supporting details helps you understand the point(s) the writer is attempting to express. Identifying the relationship between these will increase your comprehension. Applying Strategy The successful communication of any author's topic is only as good as the organization the author uses to build and define his/her subject matter. Grasping the Main Idea: A paragraph is a group of sentences related to a particular topic, or central theme. Every paragraph has a key concept or main idea. The main idea is the most important piece of information the author wants you to know about the concept of that paragraph. When authors write they have an idea in mind that they are trying to get across. This is especially true as authors compose paragraphs. An author organizes each paragraph's main idea and supporting details in support of the topic or central theme, and each paragraph supports the paragraph preceding it. A writer will state his/her main idea explicitly somewhere in the paragraph. That main idea may be stated at the beginning of the paragraph, in the middle, or at the end. The sentence in which the main idea is stated is the topic sentence of that paragraph. The topic sentence announces the general theme ( or portion of the theme) to be dealt with in the paragraph. Although the topic sentence may appear anywhere in the paragraph, it is usually first - and for a very good reason. This sentence provides the focus for the writer while writing and for the reader while reading. When you find the topic sentence, be sure to underline it so that it will stand out not only now, but also later when you review. Identifying the Topic: The first thing you must be able to do to get at the main idea of a paragraph is to identify the topic - the subject of the paragraph. Think of the paragraph as a wheel with the topic being the hub - the central core around which the whole wheel (or paragraph) spins. Your strategy for
topic identification is simply to ask yourself the question, "What is this about?" Keep asking yourself that question as you read a paragraph, until the answer to your question becomes clear. Sometimes you can spot the topic by looking for a word or two that repeat. Usually you can state the topic in a few words.
EXERCISE 2 Read the text entitled television carefully and then identify the main idea of each paragraph of it?
CHAPTER II
A. Reading a Text
TYRANNOSAURUS REX Tyrannosaurus rex, sometimes just called T-rex, is believed to be the largest and most fearsome predator on Earth's land ever to have existed. This dinosaur once lived in the Creataceous period approximately 68 to 65 million years ago. The T-rex lived in a humid, semi-tropical environment, in open forests with nearby rivers and in coastal forested swamps. The seasons were mild. Tyrannosaurus rex was up to 40 feet (12.4 m) long, about 15 to 20 feet (4.6 to 6 m) tall. The arms were only about 3 feet (1 m) long. Tyrannosaurus rex was roughly 5 to 7 tons in weight. As a carnivorous dinosaur, this giant predator most likely ambushed their prey, and devoured them with jaws full of white sharp teeth. With it's fast ability to run at an astonishing speed of 32 mph (50 kmh), a perfect slim and stiff tail that gave it an excellent balance and allowed it to make quick turns, equipped this gigantic predator and made it even more deadly, like a killing machine.
http://understandingtext.blogspot.com/search/label/Report?max-results=2 Exercise 1 1. Read the passage with your teammate and check his/her mistakes in reading it! 2. How many new vocabulary you find in the passage? Mention and find the definition of it! 3. What is mainly discussed in the passage above? 4. What is the main idea of the passage above? 5. Identify the generic structure of the passage above? 6. Identify the language features of the passage above? 7. How many supporting details in each paragraph?
8. equipped this gigantic predator and made it even more deadlyThe word it in the last paragraph refers to. 9. in open forests with nearby rivers the word nearby in the second paragraph means.
10.Summarize the passage by using your own language?
source. Opinions are what someone personally thinks or how he/she feel about an issue. Opinions by definition are subjective and relative. 2. Defining A Fact Facts are objective, concrete bits of information. They can be found in official government and legal records, and in the physical sciences. Facts can be found in reference books, such as encyclopedias and atlases, textbooks, and relevant publications. Objective facts are what researchers seek in laboratories or through controlled studies. Facts are usually expressed by precise numbers or quantities, in weights and measures, and in concrete language. The decisions of Congress, specific technological data, birth records, historical documents, all provide researchers with reliable facts. Since anyone can look up facts, facts are generally not the subject of disputes. However, not all facts are absolutes. Often the problem is that facts are simply not readily available - such as battles like the Little/Big Horn where all the witnesses who could give information on what happened died in the disaster. In 1876, Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer and his 7th Cavalry engaged in a fight with Sioux Indians along the Little/Big Horn Rivers in Montana. Custer and his entire company were wiped out; no one survived to tell what really happened. In this instance, we can only read opinions on how this disaster befell Custer. To sum up, facts can be verified in reference books, official records, and so forth. are expressed in concrete language or specific numbers. once verified, are generally agreed upon by people. 3. Determining An Opinion Opinions are based on subjective judgment and personal values rather than on information that can be verified. An opinion is a belief that someone holds without complete proof or positive knowledge that it is correct. Even experts who have studied the same issue carefully often have very different opinions about that issue. Opinions are often disputed, and many times involve abstract concepts and complex moral issues such as right or wrong, fairness and loyalty. Abstract concepts, because they are not easily understood, can never be defined to everyone's satisfaction. For example, each of us holds a personal opinion about what fairness or loyalty is, about gun control and abortion, and these issues always remain a matter of opinion, not fact. Although opinions cannot be verified for accuracy, writers should, nevertheless, back their opinions with evidence, facts, and reason - by whatever information supports the opinion and convinces the reader that it is a valid opinion. A validopinion is one in which the writer's support for his or her opinion is solid and persuasive, and one in which the writer cites other respected authorities who are in agreement. If a writer presents an extreme or unconvincing opinion, the reader should remain wary or unconvinced. Writers often slip their personal opinions into a piece of writing, even when it is suppose to be a "factual" account; alert readers can identify subjective opinions by studying the writer's language. Opinions are often expressed as comparisons (more, strongest, less, most, least efficient, but): The painter Pablo Picasso was far more innovative than any of his contemporaries. Opinions are often expressed by adjectives (brilliant, vindictive, fair, trustworthy):
Ronald Reagan was a convincing speaker when he read a prepared address but was not effective at press conferences. Opinions often involve evaluations: The excellence of her science project was a model for other students. Opinions are often introduced by verbs and adverbs that suggest some doubt in the writer's mind: o It appears she was confused. o She seems to have the qualifications for the position. o They probably used dirty tricks to win. Some opinions obviously deserve more attention than others do. When expert economists, such as John Kenneth Galbraith or Paul Volcher, discuss the U.S. economy, their opinions are more informed and therefore more reliable than the opinions of people who know very little about economic policy. Similarly, when someone is a specialist on the poet John Keats, that person's opinion of Keat's poems should be given considerable weight. Become an alert and critical reader. Understand the differences between facts and opinions, and interpret and apply both into your critical thinking.
http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/as/310.HTM
CHAPTER III
A. Reading a Text
MANGROVE A mangrove is a tropical marine tree. Mangroves have special aerial roots and saltfiltering tap roots which enable them to thrive in brackish water. Brackish water is salty but not as salty as sea water. Mangrove trees are commonly planted and found in coastal areas. Mangroves can serve as walls of protection for natural disaster in coastal area like tsunami. According to BBC News, healthy mangrove forests had helped save lives in the Asia disaster tsunami and people tended to respect these natural barriers even more, especially after the tsunami. There are several species of mangrove tree found all over the world. Some prefer more salinity, while others like to be very-close to a large fresh water source such as river. Some prefer areas that are sheltered from waves. Some species have their roots covered with sea water every day during high tide. Other species grow on dry land but are still part of the ecosystem.The Times of India reported that rare species of mangrove had been found and was also known as the looking-glass tree, probably because the leaves are silver-coated. Mangroves need to keep their trunk and leave above the surface of the water. Yet they also need to be firmly attached to the ground so they are not moved by waves. Any part of root that appears above the water flows oxygen to the plant under water surface. as the soil begin to build up, these roots procedure additional roots that become embedded in the soil.
http://understandingtext.blogspot.com/2010/01/example-of-report-text-aboutmangrove.html
1. Read the passage with your teammate and check his/her mistakes in reading it!
2. What is the main idea of each paragraph of the passage? 3. Identify the supporting details stated in the passage? 4. Identify the generic structure of the passage? 5. Identify the language features stated in the passage? 6. Find new vocabulary in the passage? Find the definition of it! 7. See chapter 6! Take note of each paragraph of the passage? 8. What are the benefits of mangroves? 9. What are the characteristics of mangrove? 10. What is the conclusion of the passage?
B. READING COMPREHENSION
Reading is the active search for answers! Reading Is Important: A 1993 investigation revealed that 40 to 44 million Americans had only the most basic reading and writing skills (Kirsch, Jungeblut, Jenkins, & Kolstad, 1993). Another 50 million Americans not only lacked the skills to function successfully in a literate society, but also were not aware of their inadequacies. These statistics make it obvious that we have to look for new
approaches to prepare students for the millennium, especially in light of current job market trends. The job market now demands a workforce that is more highly educated than ever. For example, assembly line workers must interpret manuals in addition to operating machinery. These workers must be able to read, write, analyze, interpret, and synthesize information (Hay & Roberts, 1989). In summary, people just aren't reading as much anymore and yet the need for reading, comprehension, and communication skills (verbal and written) has increased. The need is great for strengthening the following skills:
Your ability to read a variety of materials (e.g. textbooks, novels, newspapers, magazines, instructional manuals). Your ability to understand and remember what you read. Your ability to effectively communicate what you've learned from your reading.
Motivation Is Necessary: Engaged, active readers have deep-seated motivational goals, which include being committed to the subject matter, wanting to learn the content, believing in one's own ability, and wanting to share understandings from learning. However, most people, children and adults, do not spend any significant portion of their free time reading. Without committing time to reading, no one can gain the reading skills or knowledge they need to succeed in school, at work, or in life in general. The best way to improve your reading efficiency is to read a lot. What is Reading Comprehension? According to Webster's Dictionary, comprehension is "the capacity for understanding fully; the act or action of grasping with the intellect." Webster also tells us that reading is "to receive or take in the sense of (as letters or symbols) by scanning; to understand the meaning of written or printed matter; to learn from what one has seen or found in writing or printing. Comprehension = understanding! Identifying words on a page does not make someone a successful reader. When the words are understood and transcend the pages to become thoughts and ideas then you are truly reading. Comprehension therefore is the capacity for understanding those thoughts and ideas. Applying what you have read and understood becomes the successful conclusion. When you comprehend what you read it is like taking a trip around the world, staying as long as you like, visiting all the places you wish, and you never even having to pack a suitcase! Reading can be an escape that takes you outside the bounds of your existence. Reading is your ticket to whatever you choose to do and become. Reading is your future as well as your past. Don't be a reader who reads without thinking or who reads without a purpose.
Comprehension Regulation:
You can become an active, effective reader through comprehension regulation. This is a method for consciously controlling the reading process. Comprehension regulation involves the use of preplanned strategies to understand text. It is a plan for getting the most out of reading. It allows you to have an idea of what to expect from the text. Most importantly, it gives you techniques to use when you are experiencing difficulties. As an active reader, you can get an idea of what the writer is trying to communicate by:
Setting goals based on your purpose for reading Previewing the text to make predictions Self-questioning Scanning Relating new information to old
Determining your Purpose: There are many different purposes for reading. Sometimes you read a text to learn material, sometimes you read for pure pleasure, and sometimes you need to follow a set of directions. As a student, much of your reading will be to learn assigned material. You get information from everything you read and yet you don't read everything for the same reason or in the same way or at the same rate. Each purpose or reason for reading requires a different reading approach. Two things that influence how fast and how well you read are the characteristics of the text and the characteristics of you, the reader. Characteristics of the text:
Size and style of the type (font) Pictures and illustrations Author's writing style and personal perspectives Difficulty of the ideas presented
Background knowledge (how much you already know about the material or related concepts) Reading ability - vocabulary and comprehension Interest Attitude
Skills for being an effective reader and for increasing comprehension are:
Finding main ideas and supporting details/evidence Making inferences and drawing conclusions Recognizing a text's patterns of organization Perceiving conceptual relationships Testing your knowledge and understanding of the material through application
When comprehension fails, or your understanding seems limited, you can use a plan that includes:
Using structural analysis and contextual clues to identify unknown vocabulary words (e.g., look at roots, prefixes, suffixes). If this fails, keep a dictionary close by and look up words you don't understand Reading more critically - ask questions while you read Summarizing or outlining main points and supporting details Rereading the material Do a "think aloud" and/or try to explain what you've read to someone else
Although, reading means different things to different people and skills vary with every individual, reading is a skill that can be improved. Students from various backgrounds are in reading courses for a variety of reasons. Weaknesses in vocabulary, comprehension, speed, or a combination of all three may be the result of ineffective reading habits. Active reading is engaged reading and can be achieved through comprehension regulation strategies.
http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/as/301.HTM
From the description, we can safely assume that Toby doesn't like his apartment building and wishes he could move to a nicer building (choice a). But that idea isn't general enough to cover the whole paragraph, because it doesn't say anything about his friends. Sentence (choice d) isn't about his building, so it's not broad enough either. Besides, the first sentence states that Toby has friends. We know that Toby lives only with his mother and little sister, so we might assume that he wishes his dad still lived with them (choice b). But there's nothing in the paragraph to support that assumption, and this idea doesn't include the two main topics of the paragraphToby's building and Toby's friends. What the paragraph adds up to is that Toby is terribly embarrassed about his building, and he's glad none of his friends have seen it (choice c). This is the main idea. The paragraph opens with the word "fortunately," so we know that he thinks it's a good thing none of them have been there. Plus, look at the word choice. Notice how the building is described. It's "by far the ugliest on the block," which is saying a lot since it's stuck between two burnt-out buildings. The writer calls it an "eyesore," and repeats "orange" with an exclamation point to emphasize how ugly the color is. Everything's "crooked" in this "poor excuse for a building." He's ashamed of where he lives and worries about what his friends would think if they saw it.
In this case, the author is writing about hanging out with friends, going on an interview, and speaking publicly, which, at first glance, don't seem to relate to each other that much. If you find a common bond among all them, though, you'll see that the author is giving you different situations and then telling us to speak differently in each setting (use slang with friends, be respectful and quiet in an interview, modify your tone publicly). The common bond is speaking, which will have to be part of the implied main idea. Step 3. Summarize the Passage A sentence like "Different situations requires different kinds of speech" would fit perfectly as the implied main idea of that passage. We had to infer that because the sentence doesn't appear anywhere in the paragraph. But it was easy enough to find this implied main idea when you looked at the common bond uniting each idea.
Taken from http://testprep.about.com/od/readingtesttips/a/Implied-Main-Idea.htm
Do you know what the largest lizard is? This lizard is called komodo. It lives in the scrub and woodland of a few Indonesian islands. Komodo dragon is the world's heaviest lizard, weighing 150 pounds or more. The largest Komodo ever measured was more than 10 feet (3 meters) long and weighed 366 pounds (166 kg) but the average size of komodo in the wild is about 8 feet (2.5 meters) long and 200 pounds (91 kg) Komodo has gray scaly skin, a pointed snout, powerful limbs and a muscular tail. They use their keen sense of smell to locate decaying animal remains from several miles away. They also hunt other lizards as well as large mammals and are sometimes cannibalistic. The Komodo dragon's teeth are almost completely covered by its gums. When it feeds, the gums bleed, creating an ideal culture for virulent bacteria. The bacteria that lives in the Komodo dragon's saliva causes septicemia, or blood poisoning, in its victims. A dragon will bite its prey, then follow it until the animal is too weak to carry on. This lizard species is threatened by hunting, loss of prey species and habitat loss.
http://understandingtext.blogspot.com/2009/10/contohexample-of-report-text-inkomodo.html
6. 7. 8.
locate decaying animal remains from several miles away. The word decaying in the third paragraph means. 9. What are the synonyms of the word Komodo that are stated in the passage? 10. Summary the passage by using your own words!
Read the whole sentence. If you don't know the meaning of "amenities," skip over it and read the rest of the sentence. Then look at the words around the new one and try to make a connection. Here is an example:George cared little for social amenities, and sometimes his unpleasant words and actions made people feel uncomfortable. The words that come after the word "amenities" explain that the word means unpleasant words and actions. Now read the whole sentence including the new word. 2. Read this sentence:They drove their bright new red vehicle to the park.You might not know the word "vehicle," but the word "drove" is a clue that vehicle could mean a car.In this sentence the context clue comes before the new word.Read the sentence again using the word "car" instead of "vehicle" to see if the word makes sense. 3. Read this sentence:He was always late; he just couldn't ever be punctual.The word "late" is the opposite of the word "punctual."In this sentence the clue to the meaning of "punctual" is its opposite: "late." 4. Read this sentence:The family needed to economize, but try as they would they just couldn't save money.The word "save" in this sentence means the same thing as "economize." Save is a synonym for economize.Sometimes a synonym, or word that means the same as the new word is a context clue that can help you figure out the meaning of a new word. Tips & Warnings Try substituting words that you think might make sense in the sentence. Decide whether you must know the meaning of the new word. Sometimes you can get the meaning of the sentence or paragraph even if you don't know the meaning of one word. If you understand the meaning of the sentence or paragraph you can skip the new word. Use a dictionary if context clues don't work and the word is important.
Taken from http://www.ehow.com/how_4516738_use-context-clues-meaningword.html
1.
CHAPTER V
A. Reading a Text
TYPES OF VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS Volcanic eruptions have caused some of the worst disasters in the world. They can wipe out entire cities and kill thousands of people. The name of volcano comes from Roman term. It derives from VULCAN which is the name of Roman fire god. Romans believed that Vulcan lived on a volcanic Italian coast. Romans called the island VULCANO. According to scientists, volcanic eruptions are divided in to four basic groups. They are commonly known as Hawaiian, Strombolian, Vulcanian and Peleean. The term of Hawaiian eruptions are named after the volcanoes in Hawaii. These volcanic eruptions are the least violent type. They produce highly fluid lava which flows quietly. This gradually builds up a shield volcano. Strombolian eruptions are named after Stromboli. These result from the constant release of gas from the magma. As the gas escapes, it produces tephra that piles up, turning into a cinder cone. Strombolian eruptions happen when sticky magma plugs the central vent. This makes the magmatic gas build up pressure until it blasts. The magma is turned into volcanic dust and bombs. Vulcanian eruption which comes from the ancient Roman belief, are more violent than the strombolian eruption. Vulcanian eruption happens and brings magma which is more viscous. Vulcanian explosions are usually larger and noisier than the Strombolian eruptions. Paleean eruptions are famous as the most violent kind of volcanic eruptions. The name of paleean comes from the eruption of Mount Pelee, Martinique in 1902. It killed almost 38 thousands people. A Peleean eruption occurs when the magmatic gas build up tremendous pressure. This causes violent explosions with glowing clouds of hot ash and dust.
http://understandingtext.blogspot.com/2009/11/example-of-report-text-aboutvolcano.html
Writers often tell you more than they say directly. They give you hints or clues that help you "read between the lines." Using these clues to give you a deeper understanding of your reading is called inferring. When you infer, you go beyond the surface details to see other meanings that the details suggest or imply (not stated). When the meanings of words are not stated clearly in the context of the text, they may be implied - that is, suggested or hinted at. When meanings are implied, you may infer them. Inference is just a big word that means a conclusion or judgement. If you infer that something has happened, you do not see, hear, feel, smell, or taste the actual event. But from what you know, it makes sense to think that it has happened. You make inferences everyday. Most of the time you do so without thinking about it. Suppose you are sitting in your car stopped at a red signal light. You hear screeching tires, then a loud crash and breaking glass. You see nothing, but you infer that there has been a car accident. We all know the sounds of screeching tires and a crash. We know that these sounds almost always mean a car accident. But there could be some other reason, and therefore another explanation, for the sounds. Perhaps it was not an accident involving two moving vehicles. Maybe an angry driver rammed a parked car. Or maybe someone played the sound of a car crash from a recording. Making inferences means choosing the most likely explanation from the facts at hand. There are several ways to help you draw conclusions from what an author may be implying. The following are descriptions of the various ways to aid you in reaching a conclusion. 2. General Sense The meaning of a word may be implied by the general sense of its context, as the meaning of the word incarcerated is implied in the following sentence: Murderers are usually incarcerated for longer periods of time than robbers. You may infer the meaning of incarcerated by answering the question "What usually happens to those found guilty of murder or robbery?" Use the text box below to write down what you have inferred as the meaning of the word incarcerated.
If you answered that they are locked up in jail, prison, or a penitentiary, you correctly inferred the meaning of incarcerated.
Examples When the meaning of the word is not implied by the general sense of its context, it may be implied by examples. For instance, Those who enjoy belonging to clubs, going to parties, and inviting friends often to their homes for dinner are gregarious. You may infer the meaning of gregarious by answering the question "What word or words describe people who belong to clubs, go to parties a lot, and often invite friends over to their homes for dinner?" Use the lines below to write down what you have inferred as the meaning of the word gregarious.
If you wrote social or something like: "people who enjoy the company of others", you correctly inferred the meaning ofgregarious.
Antonyms and Contrasts When the meaning of a word is not implied by the general sense of its context or by examples, it may be implied by an antonym or by a contrasting thought in a context. Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings, such as happy and sad. For instance, Ben is fearless, but his brother is timorous.
You may infer the meaning of timorous by answering the question "If Ben is fearless and Jim is very different from Ben with regard to fear, then what word describes Jim?" Write your answer on the following line. If you wrote a word such as timid, or afraid, or fearful, you inferred the meaning of timorous. A contrast in the following sentence implies the meaning of credence: Dad gave credence to my story, but Mom's reaction was one of total disbelief. You may infer the meaning of credence by answering the question "If Mom's reaction was disbelief and Dad's reaction was very different from Mom's, what was Dad's reaction?" Write your answer on the following lines.
If you wrote that Dad believed the story, you correctly inferred the meaning of credence; it means "belief."
Be Careful of the Meaning You Infer! When a sentence contains an unfamiliar word, it is sometimes possible to infer the general meaning of the sentence without inferring the exact meaning of the unknown word. For instance, When we invite the Paulsons for dinner, they never invite us to their home for a meal; however, when we have the Browns to dinner, they always reciprocate. In reading this sentence some students infer that the Browns are more desirable dinner guests than the Paulsons without inferring the exact meaning of reciprocate. Other students conclude that the Browns differ from the Paulsons in that they do something in return when they are invited for dinner; these students conclude correctly that reciprocate means "to do something in return." In drawing conclusions (making inferences), you are really getting at the ultimate meaning of things - what is important, why it is important, how one event influences another, how one happening leads to another. Simply getting the facts in reading is not enough - you must think about what those facts mean to you.
Taken from http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/as/309.HTM
ELEPHANT
An elephant is the largest and strongest of all animals. It is a strange looking animal which it has thick legs, huge sides and backs, large hanging ears, a small tail, little eyes, long white tusks and above all, elephant has a long nose, the trunk. An elephant is commonly seen in a zoo, it has hard found in it natural habitat. The trunk is the elephant's peculiar feature. This trunk has various usages. The elephant draws up water by its trunk and can squirt the water all over its body like a shower bath. The elephant's trunk also lift leaves and put them into its mouth. In fact, the trunk serves the elephant as long arm and hand. An elephant looks very clumsy and heavy and yet an elephant can move very quickly. The elephant is very intelligent animal. Its intelligence combined with its great strength makes an elephant a very useful servant to man. Elephant can be trained to serve in various ways such as carry heavy loads, hunt for tigers and even fight. An elephant is really a smart animal.
http://understandingtext.blogspot.com/2009/12/elephants-as-example-of-reporttext.html
B. Reading Techniques
Throughout your career as a Curtin student you will be required to read a variety of texts and to gather material from them for assignments. Here are some guidelines for effective reading. Reading Techniques 1. Preview 2. Question 3. Take notes 4. Summarise 1. Preview Preview the text to be read by skimming it. Skimming is the technique of allowing your eyes to travel rapidly over a page, stopping here and there to register the main idea. When skimming, you should follow the procedure below, adapting it to your purpose.
Read the title. Note the writer's name. Note the date and place of publication. Read the first paragraph completely.
Read sub-headings and first sentences of remaining paragraphs. As you read, pick up main ideas, key words (words that tell you who, what, when, where, how many, and how much), and transition markers (words like 'however', 'alternatively', 'additionally', and so on), which suggest the direction of ideas in the text. Return to top
2. Question Effective reading is active reading. To turn reading from a passive into an active exercise, always ask questions. To do this, you must be clear about the purpose of your reading. If you are reading a text which you will be critiquing in detail, your questions will be different from those you would ask if you were reading a number of texts for background information. If you are gathering material for an essay, formulate some tentative ideas about the approaches you might take, modifying them as you accumulate material. During the preview, note as many questions as you can about the content. For instance, turn headings into questions and try to anticipate possible answers the writer may offer. Always actively look for connections and relationships. Look at the ways ideas are structured and developed. The object of the preview and questioning steps is to determine the writer's thesis, that is, her/his main idea and purpose in writing. As you read, list all the words about which you are uncertain; look them up in the dictionary and write down their definitions. Return to top 3. Take notes Some reasons for taking notes are: to maintain attentiveness as you read, to focus your attention, to familiarise yourself with primary and secondary material on a given subject, to analyse the assumptions and rhetorical strategies of the writer, to provide you with a summary of the material. Some hints for taking notes: Always record bibliographical details of the text from which you are taking notes. Write on one side of the paper only. Leave a wide margin for comments and cross-references. Use headings, subheadings, and diagrams. Keep notes brief but full enough to still make sense to you in six months' time. Make sure they're legible. Return to top 4. Summarise A summary is a collation of your notes, recording the main points the writer makes. Making a summary from your notes has two main benefits. It allows you to test yourself on your understanding of the material you have been reading - sometimes it is only when you try to put the writer's ideas into your own words that you uncover difficulties. It provides you with a compact account of the text for further reference.
5. Skimming refers to the process of reading only main ideas within a passage to get an overall impression of the content of a reading selection. How to Skim: * Read the title. * Read the introduction or the first paragraph. * Read the first sentence of every other paragraph. * Read any headings and sub-headings. * Notice any pictures, charts, or graphs. * Notice any italicized or boldface words or phrases. * Read the summary or last paragraph. 6. Scanning is a reading technique to be used when you want to find specific information quickly. In scanning you have a question in your mind and you read a passage only to find the answer, ignoring unrelated information. How to Scan: * State the specific information you are looking for. * Try to anticipate how the answer will appear and what clues you might use to help you locate the answer. For example, if you were looking for a certain date, you would quickly read the paragraph looking only for numbers. * Use headings and any other aids that will help you identify which sections might contain the information you are looking for. * Selectively read and skip through sections of the passage. (From College Reading and Study Skills and Academic Reading and Study Skills for International Students)
CHAPTER VII
A. Reading a Text
KINDS OF EARTHQUAKE
Earthquake often happens around us. It brings great damages. Earthquake is hard to be predicted and that makes lot victims. Actually there are three kinds of earthquake. These kinds of earthquake are commonly based on the factor and geological area where the earthquakes happen. These three kinds of earthquake are tectonic, volcanic and explosion. Tectonic earthquakes is most common one. This kind of earthquake happens while earth's crust rocks break because of the geological strength created by moving of the earth's plates. Volcanic earthquakes happen exactly with volcanic activity. Volcanic earthquakes are when the volcano produces acidic lava, which dries quickly, when it dries quickly it blocks the top of the volcano. This make no more magma can escape. Pressure starts to build up and eventually the acidic lava can no longer stand the pressure. So the volcano is free to explode, the pressure is released so fast that an earthquake is caused. A volcanic earthquake is usually kept within 10-20 miles of the volcano. Explosion earthquakes are the result of the collapse earthquakes that are small earthquakes occurring in underground mines and caverns.
http://understandingtext.blogspot.com/2009/12/elephants-as-example-of-reporttext.html
Scanning is a reading technique to be used when you want to find specific information quickly. In scanning you have a question in your mind and you read a passage only to find the answer, ignoring unrelated information. How to Scan: * State the specific information you are looking for. * Try to anticipate how the answer will appear and what clues you might use to help you locate the answer. For example, if you were looking for a certain date, you would quickly read the paragraph looking only for numbers. * Use headings and any other aids that will help you identify which sections might contain the information you are looking for. * Selectively read and skip through sections of the passage. (From College Reading and Study Skills and Academic Reading and Study Skills for International Students)
CHAPTER VIII
My Cat Gregory Gregory is my beautiful gray Persian cat. He walks with pride and grace, performing a dance of disdain as he slowly lifts and lowers each paw with the delicacy of a ballet dancer. His pride, however, does not extend to his appearance, for he spends most of his time indoors watching television and growing fat. He enjoys TV commercials, especially those for Meow Mix and 9 Lives. His familiarity with cat food commercials has led him to reject generic brands of cat food in favor of only the most expensive brands. Gregory is as finicky about visitors as he is about what he eats, befriending some and repelling others. He may snuggle up against your ankle, begging to be petted, or he may imitate a skunk and stain your favorite trousers. Gregory does not do this to establish his territory, as many cat experts think, but to humiliate me because he is jealous of my friends. After my guests have fled, I look at the old fleabag snoozing and smiling to himself in front of the television set, and I have to forgive him for his obnoxious, but endearing, habits. Source: http://understandingtext.blogspot.com/2010/02/best-example-of-descriptive-textabout.html Petted:menimang Begging: memohon Ankle: dengkul Snuggle: mencari tempat aman Repelling: menolak Grace: anggun Disdain: penghinaan Pride: kebanggaan Lift: mencuri Lower: merendahkan Skung: orang jahat Stain: noda Humiliate: menghina Fled: melarikan diri Snooze: tidur Obnoxious: menjengkelkan Endearing: membuat disayangi
One of the most famous women in world history was Cleopatra VII. She was the brilliant and beautiful last Pharaoh of Egypt. Historically, she became queen of Egypt in 51 B.C. at the age of eighteen. She was a Ptolemy, descended from one of Alexander the greats generals. When she was twenty-one,Julius Caesar became her lover. Seven years later she met Antony. The romantic tragic relationship continued until they died by suicide in 30 B.C. Cleopatra was legendary. She was famous not only for her breathtaking beauty but also for her great intellect. She had brown eyes and they were shaped like cat eyes. Her skin was in fact an olive shade, darker than Hollywood actress Liz Taylor who portrayed her in the film 'Cleopatra' in 1963. She had medium dark brown hair, about to the middle of her shoulder blades. She had a reputation as an extraordinarily sensuous woman. Cleopatra was a woman of remarkable poise and unusual intelligence. She was highly educated. She spoke proficiently in nine languages and also skilled in mathematics. She is often considered to be a stunning seductress though she was studying to be a nun. Cleopatra was a very intelligent queen and a politician with a great charisma. Source: http://understandingtext.blogspot.com/2010/02/descriptive-text-about-cleopatra.html
2. Picture: Form images. For good readers, the words and the ideas on the page trigger mental images that relate directly or indirectly to the material. Images are like movies in your head, and they increase your understanding of what you read. 3. Relate: Draw comparisons. When you relate your existing knowledge to the new information in the text, you are embellishing the material and making it part of your framework of ideas. A phrase of a situation may remind you of a personal experience or something that you read or saw in a film. Such related experiences help you digest the new material. 4. Monitor: Check understanding. Monitor your ongoing comprehension to test your understanding of the material. Keep an internal summary or synthesis of the information as it is presented and how it relates to the overall message. Your summary will build with each new detail, and as long as the message is consistent, you will continue to form ideas. If, however, certain information seems confusing or erroneous, you should stop and seek a solution to the problem. You must monitor and supervise you own comprehension. Good readers seek to resolve difficulties when they occur; they do not keep reading when they are confused. 5. Correct gaps in understanding. Do not accept gaps in your reading comprehension. They may signal a failure to understand a word or a sentence. Stop and resolve the problem. Seek solutions, not confusion. This may mean rereading a sentence or looking back at a previous page for clarification. If an unknown word is causing confusion, the definition may emerge through further reading. When good readers experience gaps in comprehension, they do not perceive themselves as failures; instead, they reanalyze the task to achieve better understanding. Adapted for Breaking Through to College Reading, Brenda Smith, 1999. http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/as/302.HTM
For people in East Java, Jatim Park may have been heard many times as it is one of the famous tourism objects in East Java province. Jatim Park offers a recreation place as well as a study center. Jatim Park is located at Jl. Kartika 2 Batu, East Java. To reach the location is not too difficult because the object is only 2, 5 kilometers from Batu city. This Jatim Park tourism object is about 22 hectares width. Visitor can enjoy at least 36 kinds of facilities which can attract them as well as give new knowledge. Just after passing the gate, the visitors will find an interesting view of Galeri Nusantara area. This study offering continues to step on Taman Sejarah area, which contains of miniature temple in East Java like Sumberawan temple, custom house of Kiai Hasan Besari Ponorogo and Sumberawan Statue. The other facility which is able to be enjoyed is Agro Park area. It presents crop and rareness fruits, animal diorama which consists of unique animals that have been conserved, and supporting games like bowling, throw ball, scooter disco, etc Jatim Park is suitable for family and school recreation. The recreation area sites offer precious tour and can used as alternative media of study. Source: http://bos-sulap.blogspot.com/2010/02/contoh-example-descriptive-text-on. html
What Are the Facts? Let's start with a definition. A fact is something that we know for certain to have happened. something that we know for certain to be true. something that we know for certain to exist. Much of what you read, especially today in this "Information Age," is designed to provide you with facts. You may read, for example, about a new office procedure that you must follow; about how the new computer system works; or about what happened at the staff meeting. If you're taking a standardized test, you'll probably have to answer reading comprehension questions that ask about the facts in a reading passage. These facts are not always easy to determine, especially if the writing is dense or complicated. To make it simpler, ask yourself these questions as you read: What facts am I expected to know? What am I to learn or be aware of? What happened? What is true? What exists? Practice Passage 1 Jump right into the task of finding facts. The following brief passage is similar to something you might see in a newspaper. Read the passage carefully, and then answer the questions that follow. Remember, careful reading is active reading (see the Introduction), so mark up the text as you go. Underline key words and ideas; circle and define any unfamiliar words or phrases; and record your reactions and questions in the margins. On Friday, October 21, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Judith Reynolds, owner of The Cupcake Factory, arrived at her establishment to find that it had been robbed and vandalized overnight. The front window of the shop at 128 Broad Street was broken, and chairs and tables were overturned throughout the caf area. Additionally, the cash register had been pried open and emptied of money. The thieves attempted to open the safe as well, but were unsuccessful. Ms. Reynolds used her cell phone to report the crime to the police. She also phoned the proprietor of Primo Pizza, located at 130 Broad Street, as she noticed that the door of that restaurant showed signs of forced entry. The police department is asking anyone with information to call 555-2323. 1. What happened to The Cupcake Factory? 2. When was the crime discovered? 3. Where did it happen? 4. What was stolen? 5. Who called the police? 6. What other businesses were affected? Remember, good reading is active reading. Did you mark up the passage? If so, it may have looked something like this:
You'll notice that the answers to the questions have all been underlined, because these are the key words and ideas in this passage. But here are the answers in a more conventional form. 1. What happened to The Cupcake Factory? It was robbed and vandalized. 2. When was the crime discovered? At 8:30 a.m. on Friday, October 21. 3. Where did it happen? 128 Broad Street. 4. What was stolen? Money from the cash register. 5. Who called the police? Judith Reynolds, owner of The Cupcake Factory. 6. What other businesses were affected? Possibly Primo Pizza. Notice that these questions went beyond the basic who, what, when, and where to include some of the details, like why the proprietor of the restaurant next door was called. This is because details in reading comprehension, as well as in detective work, can be very important clues that may help answer the remaining questions: Who did it, how, and why?
http://www.education.com/study-help/article/essential-information1/
SINGAPORE
Have you ever visited Singapore? Well, if you havent, let me tell you about Singapore. Singapore is an island city. Its population is about three millions people. Most Singaporeans live in high-rise apartments. UhmSingapore is a beautiful city with lots of parks and open spaces. It is also a very clean city. You know, the business district is very modern, with lots of tall and new buildings. Now, let me tell you about the old section of the city. In Chinatown, there are rows of old shop houses. The government buildings in Singapore are also very unique and antique. They date from the British colonial days. Shopping! Wow, this is the part that I like very much! Singapore is famous for its many good shopping centers. Most of the goods are duty free. Its a heaven for shoppers! What about food? Uhmm ..yummy..yummy. Its delicious. Singapores restaurants provide Chinese, Indian, Malay, and European food, and the prices are quite reasonable. I bet youll like it. Well, since Singapore lies near the equatorial line, of course, it has a tropical climate, with a nice weather in both dry and rainy season. Source: http://descriptivetext83.blogspot.com/2011/03/singapore.html
Moon is the earth's satellite which we often see in the night. The Moon is the one place in our solar system where humans have visited. For the first time on July 20, 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin landed the Lunar Module of Apollo 11 on the surface of the Moon. Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the Moon. However do you know what descriptive facts about the Moon are? The moon rises in the east and sets in the west. It moves toward the east in our sky by about 12 degrees each day. The Moon is about 384,400 kilometers from Earth. The Moon has a diameter of 2,000 miles which is like to 3,476 kilometers. The surface of the Moon has many things, such as craters, lava plains, mountains, and valleys. Scientists believe the craters were formed around 3.5 to 4.5 billion years ago by meteors hitting the moon's surface. The Moon does not have atmosphere, wind and weather that is why the footprints left there on the Moon by the Apollo astronauts will remain there for millions of years. The Moon is not a light source. It means that Moon does not make its own light. It reflects light from the sun. All of us can see the Moon especially in the night because light from the Sun bounces off it back to the Earth. If the Sun wasn't there, we cannot see the Moon. The moon influences many of the tides in the oceans. This is because of the gravity force between the Earth and Moon. At full Moon and new Moon, the Sun, Earth and Moon are lined up, producing the higher than normal tides. When the Moon is at first or last quarter, it forms smaller neap tides. Source: http://bos-sulap.blogspot.com/2010/02/descriptive-facts-about-moon.html Answer the following questions orally 1. What is the main idea of the above text? 2. Who was the first human walking on the moon? 3. What is the condition of the surface of moon? 4. The surface of the Moon has many things, such as craters, lava plains, mountainsthe word plains, in line 10, has closest meaning with the word. 5. When the Moon is at first or last quarter, it forms smaller neap tides. The word it, in line 19, refers to. 6. Why do pupils cant see the moon at noon? 7. Why do human beings cant live in the moon? 8. Does the moon influence the tides activity in the ocean? Explain? 9. What is the writer purpose of the above text? 10. What is the conclusion of the above text?
PRAMBANAN TEMPLE
Prambanan is the largest Hindu temple compound in Central Java in Indonesia, located approximately 18 km east of Yogyakarta. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the largest Hindu temples in south-east Asia. It is characterized by its tall and pointed architecture, typical of Hindu temple architecture, and by the 47m high central building inside a large complex of individual temples. It was built around 850 CE by either Rakai Pikatan, king of the second Mataram dynasty, or Balitung Maha Sambu, during the Sanjaya Dynasty. Not long after its construction, the temple was abandoned and began to deteriorate. Reconstruction of the compound began in 1918. The main building was completed in around 1953. Much of the original stonework has been stolen and reused at remote construction sites. A temple will only be rebuilt if at least 75% of the original stones are available, and therefore only the foundation walls of most of the smaller shrines are now visible and with no plans for their reconstruction. The temple was damaged during the earthquake in Java in 2006. Early photos suggest that although the complex appears to be structurally intact, damage is significant. Large pieces of debris, including carvings, were scattered over the ground. The temple has been closed to the public until damage can be fully assessed. The head of Yogyakarta Archaeological Conservation Agency stated that: it will take months to identify the precise damage. However, some weeks later in 2006 the site re-opened for visitors. The immediate surroundings of the Hindu temples remain off-limits for safety reasons. Source: http://ahmadzahrowi.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/descriptive-text/